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Legendary Graffiti Artist Phade Creates Mural For Hip-Hop Museum

Posted 12/23/09 3:39 pm EST by in Music


By Rahman Dukes

If you ask iconic New York City graffiti artist Phade (better known as Shirt King Phade from the legendary Shirt Kingz) about the current state of hip-hop, he'd more than likely tell you it's alive and breathing and resides in the Bronx, New York.

Whether you agree or disagree, Phade has been around the culture for decades and just like any other passionate hip hop fan is entitled to his opinion. But the difference between Phade and your average fan is Phade has lived the life of a rapper. And his crew, the Shirt Kingz, are his clique.

For those who may not be aware, Phade and the almighty Shirt Kingz carved a name for themselves in hip hop history by hooking up some of the '80s biggest acts with customized clothing. From LL Cool J to BBD to Biz Markie to Jay-Z, you weren't considered royalty in hip-hop if you didn't own a piece of clothing from the Shirt Kingz.

While the days of Phade and his brothers Nike and the late Kashim designing shirts for the likes of Big Daddy Kane (featuring cartoon character Wyle E. Coyote holding a bottle of Olde English malt liquor) have passed behind him, Phade and Nike still remind the hip-hop community where the origins of the music came from: the art.

For the past week, Phade has been hard at work on his latest masterpiece: A mural for the Hip-Hop Cultural Museum located in Harlem, New York. Read More...

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Rihanna Wishes She Was From New York: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 12/21/09 4:36 pm EST by in Music


"'Empire State of Mind' was definitely one of my favorite records of 2009 ... one of the biggest records of 2009, also. It's timeless. It's epic, and it makes me want to be from New York every time I hear it. I'm like, 'Wow, I wish I was in New York, or I wish I was from New York.' It's just that great feeling when you hear it."

-R&B superstar Rihanna on her most favorite tune of 2009. The singer gave a shout-out to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' collaboration from The Blueprint 3, which is currently on top of the Billboard Hot 100 and served as the victory song for the New York Yankees and also closed out the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (which returned to Manhattan after a three year absence). Rihanna also called out Lady Gaga as one of her favorite artists of the year. "She has a very bold, fearless image," she told MTV News on the set of her latest video "Hard." "I have to say, I have so much respect for original artists ... who aren't afraid to do what they do. That's what I respect the most. She's awesome." Rihanna has had a pretty impressive 2009 herself, as she recovered from a violent run-in with then-boyfriend Chris Brown in February to drop some of the hottest singles and videos of the holiday season, including "Russian Roulette" and the aforementioned "Hard."

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Samuel Makes The Crowd Shake At CMJ Showcase

Posted 10/23/09 5:00 pm EST by in Music


By Rya Backer

Growing up in Manhattan, the annual CMJ Festival was always a staple, providing a lot of fun gigs in between Yom Kippur and Halloween. This year's CMJ has kind of been a bummer — or maybe everyone who used to be really psyched about CMJ is getting old and boring. But there are still good acts to be seen!

One of which is another born-and-bred Manhattanite, Samuel. Samuel played on Wednesday night (October 21) at the party hosted by Spin magazine (along with the Temper Trap and the Clipse — pretty classic eclectic CMJ booking). According to his MySpace page, Samuel has a musical pedigree, and his live show makes it really evident that entertaining is in his genes. Backed up by two DJs and a drummer (two of whom make up his production partners, the Knocks), Samuel sang through a high-energy (I go tired just watching him dance from one side of the stage to the other) set full of sunny, soulful and sad songs that were all ultimately pure pop.

Song standouts included the Motown-y "Coincidence" (it's a song about a girl, as are most of his tunes), the Postal Service-y "Say Goodbye" and the dance-friendly "Neverland." The crowd responded to the latter the best, shouting along with the chorus: "Until I find my way back to Neverlaaaaaand."

Like a lot of this year's CMJ artists, Samuel is already signed to a major label (Columbia) and has created a grassroots following in NYC, but with a tour scheduled for next year and an album scheduled for release next spring (executive produced and mixed by Greg Wells, who has also worked with Katy Perry and Mika), Samuel may already be on his way to Neverland.

Photo by Ian Witlen

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Pink Sets Up Her Funhouse In New York City

Posted 10/6/09 11:17 am EST by in Music


Last night, Pink brought her fantastically theatrical Funhouse tour to Madison Square Garden for a bright, booming and (as promised on her Twitter) loud show. Pink, who seemed fully recovered from the shoulder injury that she complained about on the early dates on the tour, sang her way through a plethora of hits, performed stunts along the lines of her MTV Video Music Awards performance and, of course, flew through her set of costume changes — including MTV News' personal favorite, which involves a pink heart, a yellow marching band jacket, a purple leotard and a captain's hat.

Pink's set included her cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and also an especially intense rendition of "Don't Let Me Get Me." She now has some down time (where she can enjoy the fall weather in New York) before the tour resumes at the end of next week in Dublin, Ireland. From there, she'll play shows all over the U.K. before heading out to the rest of Europe (including stops in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark). The tour is in support of her still-going-strong album Funhouse, which was released nearly a year ago and is still kicking around the upper echelon of the Billboard album chart (she's moved 1.3 million copies of the record). At the end of October, Funhouse will get a re-release, which will feature two bonus tracks ("This Is How It Goes Down" and "Push You Away") plus a DVD featuring videos and commentary from Pink.

Click here for more photos from Pink's Funhouse tour stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City!

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Legendary New York Hip-Hop DJ Mr. Magic Dies

Posted 10/2/09 2:47 pm EST by in Music


Mr. Magic

By Jayson Rodriguez

"Every Saturday 'Rap Attack,' Mr. Magic, Marley Marl ..." — Notorious B.I.G., "Juicy"

Biggie immortalized him in rhyme, but by the time the Brooklyn MC name-checked Mr. Magic on 1994's Ready to Die, the DJ was already a living legend. It was confirmed today that Mr. Magic passed away after suffering a heart attack. (At press time it was unknown how old he was.)

Magic, born John Rivas, was a pioneer in hip-hop and made his mark as the first DJ to host a mixshow hour on commercial radio, which was revolutionary in the early 1980s but as common as a rap CD with a "Parental Advisory" sticker on it today. Back in 1982 when Mr. Magic, along with Marley Marl as his DJ and Tyrone "Fly Ty" Williams as co-producer, kick-started "Rap Attack," the program's launch was arguably as significant to music history as when the Moonman planted the MTV flag in outer space.

"Rap Attack" was a cultural touchstone fondly remembered by countless rappers, breakdancers, journalists and fans who were transfixed by the early sounds of hip-hop transmitted through their speakers by Mr. Magic.

Aside from the musical nods ("Juicy" and Whodini's "Magic's Wand"), Magic was also known for his part in the watershed battle between the Juice Crew — founded by Marley Marl and featuring Big Daddy Kane, Craig G. and Kool G Rap — and KRS-One's Boogie Down Productions.
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Kid Cudi, Jay Sean And Wale At The VMA Media Forum

Posted 9/11/09 6:15 pm EST by in VMAs


From taking the Staten Island Ferry out to Governors Island for the first time to seeing Asher Roth and N.E.R.D. play an awesome outdoor concert in front of a couple hundred people to chopping it up with Santigold, Mary J. Blige and Pharrell Williams, these last couple days have been non-stop.

Today was the big MTV Video Music Awards media forum at Radio City Music Hall, an annual event where the country's top radio stations all converge in a huge makeshift media room in the basement of the legendary venue.

Sway, who is an old pro at doing radio both as the host and the interviewee, offered me some sound advice as we braved the rain and walked a few blocks from the MTV News headquarters in Times Square to Radio City. "Just do you!" he said, sounding a little Nike commercial-esque. But then again, he does know best.

The room was a maze of tables operating as temporary radio stations, with all the artists moving from interview to interview. Kid Cudi, Ryan Leslie, Fabolous, Raekwon, Jay Sean, Wale, Melody from the Pussycat Dolls, DJ Cassidy, Twista and a whole host of others were all hard at work talking VMAs, new projects and — in the case of the Las Vegas stations — downing shots of tequila as well. That's just how they do it in Vegas.

From Detroit to Philadelphia, I spoke with as many radio shows that would have me, and the everyone wanted to know three things: What's Lady Gaga going to be wearing, is Madonna going to introduce Janet Jackson's tribute to Michael and will Eminem be a surprise performer? My lips are sealed! But if you tune in Sunday at 8 p.m., you're certain to find out!

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Brazilian Day Grooves New York With South American All-Stars

Posted 9/8/09 4:03 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music


The long Labor Day weekend might be one of the best inventions in the world, and this year I used it well. The weather provided the perfect setting for a monster street party, as tens of thousands of people from all around the globe gathered in the streets of New York to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Brazilian Day Festival.

As far as I could see from 44th Street, the whole of Sixth Avenue was a massive gyrating sea of yellow and green Brazil Day T-shirts as thousands danced to the music on the main stage. The vibe was amazing: A mix of young and old stood side by side and got down to the sounds of some of Brazil's biggest artists including Elba Ramalho, Carlinhos Brown, Alcione and the truly excellent Arlindo Cruz.

Backstage was heaven. The beer was ice cold, the food amazing and the yellow "Brasil" T-shirts never looked better. My friend João De Matos, the Chairman of the Brazilian Day Festival, was hard at work keeping everything running smoothly — a big task considering the lineup included some of Brazil's biggest stars. When Elba Ramalho (who some regard as the Tina Turner of Brazil) made her way from her trailer to the stage just a few meters away, she needed a six man security team to get her through the swarm of people who surrounded her for a picture and cried out for an autograph. I had never heard of her before, but it was clear that I was in the presence of a musical great.

But it was Marcelo D2 who really stole the show. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in Brazil. As he took to the stage with his live band, the crowd went wild, and Marcelo D2 brought the fire of Brazilian hip-hop to 6th Avenue. I don't understand Portuguese, but I really didn't need to, as the music quite literally did the talking. I stood among thousands of others as Marcelo had the whole crowd singing back to him, waving their hands in time with the music. It was an experience I will never forget and the best street party I have ever been to. Bring on the Brazilian Festival 2010, and thank you João and Claudine for the opportunity!

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Nine Inch Nails Perform The Downward Spiral In Its Entirety At New York Show

Posted 8/24/09 12:21 am EST by in Concerts, Music


When Trent Reznor announced that he would be retiring Nine Inch Nails after a brief tour at the end of this summer, all he promised were beefed up setlists and "a few surprises." After the first two shows in New York — one each at the tiny Bowery Ballroom and the slightly less tiny Webster Hall — it's clear that Reznor wasn't kidding. After pulling out a few rarities at Saturday night's show (including the band's rarely-played cover of Joy Division's "Dead Souls"), the Nine Inch Nails frontman satisfied what appeared to be a long-held desire in front of about 1,400 diehards: He played his 1994 album The Downward Spiral in its entirety on Sunday night (August 23).

Though Reznor's debut Pretty Hate Machine had gotten him the initial attention he deserved, The Downward Spiral made him a star. That's pretty odd considering that record is an incredibly dense, harsh and at times violent descent into Reznor's warped mind. But the difficulty didn't stop it from becoming one of the best written-about and most beloved albums of the 1990s. To some people, it's simply the album that contained one of the dirtiest hit singles in history ("Closer," with its chorus of "I want to f--- you like an animal"), but to the fans who helped sell out Reznor's entire "Wave Goodbye" tour in minutes, it's a definitive statement from a brilliant artist.

Reznor and his able band plowed through the 14 tracks that make up The Downward Spiral with savagery and grace. The opener "Mr. Self Destruct" provided an initial jolt of adrenaline, but then the jazzy "Piggy" slowed things down. Following the one-two punch of "Heresy" (chorus: "God is dead and no one cares") and "March of the Pigs" and the crowd collectively realized what was happening, even the densest keyboard meandering (which makes up some of The Downward Spiral's latter half) was met with love and awe.
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Santigold Tourmate Amanda Blank Emerges From Friend's Shadow At New York Show

Posted 6/8/09 6:26 pm EST by in Concerts


By Daniela Capistrano, photos by Bashira Webb

It felt destined to be an uneventful, summer rain-drenched night this past Friday evening in the trendy Village section of Manhattan. But a few strokes before midnight, DJ Herbert Holler strongly advised the staff at Le Poisson Rouge to wrap up sound check, as a throng of Amanda Blank fans were waiting.

"People are outside getting wet, man" he gently prodded.

While the petite MC wrapped up interviews backstage, DJ Herbert quickly warmed up the crowd with his blend of '80s top 40, hip-hop, house, rock, Motown and soca rhythms. The turnout was notably eclectic: A middle-aged man in a black suit gyrated on a small stage without much notice, while a preppy couple in Converse pogo'd nearby. Across the club, a group of ladies in almost identical jean skirts and flip flops mouthed lyrics to Naughty by Nature.

Though Santigold has been appearing on this tour (in support of Blank's new album I Love You), this show belonged soley to Amanda, and the fans seemed eager to get a taste of her not as a supporting character or hype woman, but as the main act.
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A Short Ida Maria Live Show Is Better Than None At All

Posted 4/28/09 7:17 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes


By Daniela Capistrano

When I heard Scandinavian songbird Ida Maria was performing a set for MTV staff at 1515 Broadway today, I immediately dropped what I was doing and ran towards the elevator. It was that serious.

For the uninitiated, you might have already been exposed to Ida Maria via this season's "Gossip Girl" promos — she's the throaty voice behind "Oh My God," possibly the best song ever created for screaming at the top of your lungs after a breakup (or so I've heard).

Comparisons to Janis Joplin or Chrissie Hynde might be intimidating for some young artists, but 24-year-old Ida Maria takes it all in stride. She's a punk princess who isn't afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve.

Upon entering the grafittied performance space on the 24th floor, I was surprised to find the entire front row available. I discreetly plopped into the seat directly in front of the mic for optimum tune absorption.

Ida Maria waited patiently on the sidelines (in a fierce military jacket and Adidas kicks) while a rep from Mercury Records sang her praises. (This was not necessary, since anyone with taste knows she rules, but I digress.)

I don't know if it was the amazing view of the Hudson shimmering directly behind her with the sun blotting out her profile in silhouette, but the whole experience served to remind me how powerful a live show can be. We can play on the Web and download as many albums as we'd like, but nothing equates to someone making music in front of you, in real time.

Ida Maria's set was unfortunately super-short. She only played three songs — a track I hadn't heard before that is on her debut album Fortress Round My Heart, and "I Like You Such Much Better When You're Naked," another fave of mine.

The last song was a new piece that she hasn't recorded yet, "Loud." Because of technical difficulties, Ida Maria rocked it unplugged and sans mic, which ended up being a perfect companion to the performance because the song is about being overwhelmed in a harried, over-stimulated world. As my silenced BlackBerry angrily vibrated near my thigh, I could definitely relate.

As the show came to a close, Ida Maria strummed the last note of "Loud" just as a cell phone in the audience let out a shrill bleep. I cringed, but Ida Maria just smiled and murmured, "That was perfect," and gracefully turned to make her exit.

Luckily I grabbed her before she took off and she was kind enough to let me snap this photo. Check the hair! Insane.

Ida Maria at MTV

(View our exclusive photo shoot with Ida Maria here.)

Ida Maria is MTV's current Discover and Download artist, which hopefully exposes her painfully truthful-but-beautiful-to-hear melodies to the world.


Her debut album Fortress Round My Heart is available now.

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